Receptacle-filling machine



RECEPTACLE FILLING MACHINE Filed Sept. 19. 1924 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 6cm mg March 25, 1930.

R. w. MOINTYRE 1,751,487

RECEPTACLE FILLING MACHINE Filed Sept. 19, 1924 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 gwuemfoz March 25, 1930. R. w. M lNTYRE RECEPTACLE FILLING MACHINE Filed Sept. 19 1924 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 March 25, 1930. R. w. MclNTYRE 1,751,487

RECEPTACLE FILLING MACHINE Filed p .1924 s Sheets-Sheet 4 March 25, 1930. R. w. M INTYRE RECEPTACLE FILLING MACHINE Filed Sept. 19, 1924 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 ill/42W i1 Ir l n r 7 W W 1 n;

7 I i V V :QIT d LEN S Patented Mar. 25, 1930 UNITED STAT S REX W. MCINTYRE, OF SOUTH PATENT OFFICE MANCHESTER, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE ORIORD RECEPTACLE-FILLING MACHINE Application filed September 19, 1924. Serial No. 738,590.

My invention relates to the class of machines that are more commonly employed for filling cans, cartons, or similar receptacles with material, usually in a dry form and in a more or less finely powdered state, and an object of m invention, among others, is the rovision o a machine of this class that shall e simple in construction and particularly efficient in its method of operation.

One form of machine embodying my invention and in the construction and use of which the objects herein set out, as well as others, may be attained, is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a view in side elevation of the lower portion of my improved receptacle filling machine, with parts broken away to show construction.

igure 2 is a top view of the lower portion of the machine that is cut in section on a plane generally located just above the feed and supply belt, the plane of section, however, not being a true plane.

Figure 3 is a view in vertical section through the lower portion of the machine on a plane generally indicated by the dotted line 33 of Figure 4, the belt supporting table being omitted.

Figure 4 is an end view of the machine, a portion of the feed belt and supports being removed.

Figure 5 is a detail view illustrating the connection between the pusher actuating lever and its crank.

Figure 6 is a detail view illustrating the construction and operation of a portion of the resetting mechanism.

Figure 7 is a view in elevation of of the upper part of the machine.

Figure 8 is a View of a portion of the machine shown in Figure 7, but looking at the opposite side thereof.

Figure 9 is a detail view, scale enlarged illustrating the construction of a portion of the releasing mechanism.

My improved machine embodies a standard comprising sides 10 that are connected and supported in any suitable manner, as by tie rods 11. A supporting frame is secured to the upper side of the standard, this frame a portion comprising columns 12 that are secured to the standard in any suitable manner and that may be braced or connected one with another as may be desired.

A driving shaft 13 is mounted in the standard and has a driving pulley (not shown) secured thereto as a means for im arting driving power to the machine. A riving sprocket 14 is secured to the driving shaft 13 and is connected by a driving chain 15 with a drive connecting shaft 16 mounted in the lower part of the standards 10 and as shown in Figures 3 and 4 of the drawings. A feed driving sprocket 17, secured to the connecting shaft 16, supports a feed driving chain 18 that extends to and around a feed sprocket 19 secured to a feed shaft 20 mounted in legs in the standards, and as shown in Figure 4 of the drawings.

Feed pulleys 2122 are secured to the shaft 20 and each supports one end of supply and delivery belts 23-24, respectively, the opposite ends of said belts passing around supporting pulleys 2526, and as shown in Figure 1 of the drawings. Empty receptacles 27 are placed by hand upon the belt 23 and are carried thereby to a point at the delivery end of the belt from which they are removed by mechanism constructed and operating as follows:

A supply pusher rod 28 is mounted in posts 29 secured to and rising from a table 30, this table being supported by legs 31 attached to the upper ends of the sides 10, and as shown in Figures 3 and 4 of the drawings, the columns 12 extending upwardly through openings made for them in the table and the rod 28 extending through a slot in one of the columns as shown in Fig. 2. A head is secured to the forward end of the rod 28, this head being bent so that one portion lies substantially at right angles to another portion, one part 32 of said head that is secured to the end of the rod comprising a pusher and the other part 33 of said hea comprising a can stop that projects over the supply belt 23. A pusher actuating lever 34 is pivotally mounted at the lower end of a bracket 35 depending from the under side of the table 30, and as shown in Figure 4, the upper end of the lever being forked and adjustably enged with the rod 28. A crank 36 com rismg a disc and a stud projecting there rom is operatively connected with the lever 34, as shown inFi re 1 of the drawings, said stud projecting t rough a slot in the ever. Said disc is secured to one end of a shaft mounted in the bracket 35, the opposite end of said shaft having a beveled ear 37 secured thereto and meshing with a lievel gear 38 secured to a pusher actuating shaft 39 mounted at one end in a bracket 40 depending from the table 30 at its opposite end in one of the legs 31, as shown in Figure 4 of the drawings. A pusher sprocket is secured to the shaft 39 and supports one end of a pusher sprocket chain 41 extending to and around a pusher driving sprocket 42 secured to a clutch drivin shaft 43 supported in the sides 10, said s aft being driven as by means of a sprocket chain 44 extending around a sprocket wheel 45 on said shaft and a sprocket pinion 46 secured to the drive connecting shaft 16, and as shown in Figure 3 of the drawings.

Intermittent movement of the shaft 43 is effected b means of a clutch comprising a driv' c utch member 47 rotatably mounted on e shaft 43 and ada ted to be engaged with a driven clutch mem r secured to the shaft 43, this driven clutch member constituting an arm 48 secured to the shaft 43 and having a clutch pawl 49 ivotally mounted thereon and forced into 0 utching eng ement with the member 47 as by means 0 a pawl spring 50, and as shown in Fi re 3 of the drawings. A pawl retaining nger 51 projects outwardly from the pawl into engagfiment with a pawl holding latch 52 ivota y mounted on one of the sides 10 an attached at one en to a clutch releasing rod 53 to be hereinafter more specifically described.

A delivery pusher rod 54 is slidably mounted in posts 55 rising from the table 30, this pusher rod having a pusher 56 secured at its operative end in a position .to deliver filled cans or packa onto the. delivery belt 24 for delivery the machine. This delivery pusher rod 54 is actuated as by means of a pusher actuating lever 57 pivotally mounted at its upper end on a bracket arm 58 secured to and rising from the table 30, and as shown in F,i re 3 of the drawin s, the lower end of sai lever being adjustab y connected with the delivery pusher rod 54. crank stud from a crank disc 59 engages within a slot in the lever 57 as a means for imparting reciprocating movement thereto, said disc being secured to one end of a pusher actuating shaft 60 mounted at one end in a bracket 61 rising from the table 30 and at its opposite end in the arm 58. Said shaft is operated as by means of a sprocket chain 62 extending around a sprocket on said shaft and A nature common to scale construction,

around a sprocket 63 secured to the clutch driving shaft 43.

With the mechanism thus far described an intermittent movement is im arted to the shaft 43 and the supply and de ivery pushers are alternately operated to move the cans to be filled from the supply belt 23 into filling position, and to move them therefrom after they have been filled, the sup ly pusher operating to position a can in lling position and the de ivery pusher then, after the can has been filled, removin the can from such position and onto the delivery belt 24. It will be noted that the supply belt 23 extends to a point beyond the path of movement of the pusher 32 so that the empty cans at the time of engagement with the can stop 33 rest on the belt 23 that is moving under said cans. When the pusher 32 is drawn backwardly to the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 2 the line of cans on the belt 23 will move forwardly ainst a positioning stop 65, the advance can In the line being now in the path of movement of the pusher 32 to be moved forward to its filling position.

The intermittent movement of the shaft 43 is caused by the clutch mechanism hereinabove described, operated by movement of the clutch releasing rod 53 to be hereinafter set out. As this rod is lifted the holding latch 52 releases the clutch pawl and the spring 50 tilts the pawl so that its operative end will,

come into engagement with one of the clutch teeth 64 projecting from the inner face of the clutch member 47. The arts will make one complete rotation and wi i then be released in a manner to be hereinafter described, at the end of this rotation the rod 53 having been lowered to place the. latch 52 in the path of movement of the pawl retaining finger 51 to intercept its movement and force the pawl from engagement with a tooth 64, thus stopping the rotation 'of the shaft 43, each of the pus ers having been een, during this operation of the mechanism just described, a

com lete reciprocating movement.

e filling position of the cans hereinabove referred to is constituted by a scale platform 66 located in an opening in the table 30, and as shown in Figure 3 of the drawings. This platform is mounted on the upper en 7 a platform 0st 67 having a yoke 68 at its lower end, t e side parts of which yoke receive between them t e side parts of a wei ht beam yoke 69 supported on bearings o a which bearings are located in a scale frame 70 secured to the lower end of a post 71, the upper end of which post is clamped in an openin in a scale supporting bar 72, the end of this bar being split from said openin to its end and the post being clamped by afimlt in a manner wel known, and as shown in Figure 3 of the drawings. The bar 72 is secured to the under side of a block v.73, said blockin dof insulating material turn bein secured to the table 30. The post 67 is hel in a vertical positionby means of a link 74 pivotally secured atone end to the post 67 and at its opposite end to the upper end of the post 71, as shown in Figure 3 of the drawings. A weight beam 75 projects from the yoke 69 and has a weight 76 there on, the mechanism just described constituting a scale construction and the location ofthe weight determining the amount of material that may be deposited in a can on the plat form 66, before the latter settles to operate mechanism to be hereinafter described.

The cans are supplied with the material that is usually in granulated or powdered form through a dellvery chute 77 extending from a hopper 78, the feed from the hopper 7,8 through the delivery chute 77 being effected and controlled by mechanism within the hopper of well known construction, and for which reason such mechanism is not shown herein, as its constructionand operation will be well understood by those skilled in the art, it being sufficient to state that this mechanism comprises a feed shaft 79 extending through the upper end of the hopper and driven as by means of a belt 80 extending to and around a feed pulley 81 secured to the shaft 13. I

A contact 82 is securedto and extends from an insulated bar 83 clamped about the post 71, and as shown in Figure 3 of the drawings, this bar bein preferably composed of A contact 84 is pivotally mounted in a frame 85 secured to the bar 83 and in position to touch the contact 82. The end of the contact 84 rests against a fiber roller 86 supported on a stud projecting from the side of the platform post 67.

and as shown in dotted lines in Figure 3 of the drawings. When a can resting upon the platform 66 has been filled to a certain extent, as determined by the weight of the-material therein, said platform will'be lowered and the fiber roller 86 willconsequently be lowered permitting the contact 84 to touch the contact 82. Wires 87-88 extend from the terminals of the two contacts 82 and 84 and form a portion of an electric circuit, the flow of current through which is con trolled by the contacts 82 and'84 and which circuit comprises a solenoid 89 located to control feed mechanism -to be hereinafter described, the operation of the solenoid and control of the feed mechanism being, there fore, effected by the movement of the platform 66 in amanner that will be understood from the foregoing description.

The solenoid 89 is supported at the upper end of and within one of the columns 12, as shown in Figures 8 and 9 of the drawings, and is connected in any ordinary manner With a battery. 90 and with a switch 91 to be hereinafter described, and as shown in Figure '9 of the drawings, said switch and battery hav upper end of the frame ofthe machine, said controller having a clutch and brake actuating finger 98 projecting to operate the discs of a clutch 99 and a brake 100 mounted to control movements of the feed shaft 79,

and in a manner that will be readily understood, the brake and clutch mechanism just described being of old and well known construction and a more detailed description is therefore omitted herein.

The controller 97 includes an arm 101 that supports the upper end of the clutch releasing rod 53, the main part of said controller being connected by a resetting rod 102, a

lever 111 and a rod 112 with a resetting bar 103 mounted for sliding movement in guides secured to the outer surface of one of the sides 10, and as shown in Figure 4 of the drawings. This bar supports a resetting block 104 located in the path of movement of a roller on a resetting pin 105 on the end of a resetting arm 106 secured to the shaft 43.

The switch 91comprises two spring terminals between which a switch pin 107 is forced to close a circuit comprising the wire 87 extending from the bar 83, the switch pin 107 comprised in the switch91, the Wire extending from said switch to the solenoid, the wire extending from said solenoid to the battery, the Wire extending from the battery to the switch 109, and the-wire 88 extending from said switch to the bar 83 at which pointthe circuit is closed by'the contacts 82 and 84. Said switch pin is moved from between said terminals to open the circuit, said pin being supported on a rod 108 projecting from the lever member 95, and as shown in Figure 9 of the drawings. The operation of the mechanism just described is as follows:

The machine being in operation feed within the hopper 78 and caused by operation of the shaft 79 will permit flow of material through the chute 77 into a receptacle located-upon the platform 66 in the position shown in Figure 2 of the drawings. The can having been filled its weight will cause depression of the scale platform 66, engagement of the contacts 82 and 84 will be had,

this completing the electric circuit, it' being understood that the manually controlled switch 109 is closed and the switch 91 being also closed at this time in the normal operation of the machine. The closing of the electric circuit energizes the solenoid 89,-

I clutch 99 and apply the brake 100, thus stopping the feeding of material through the As the controller 97 is swung on its pivot the clutch releasing rod 53 will be raised thus disengaging the holding latch 52 from clutch mechanism and permitting said mechanism to operate in the manner-hereinbefore described. When the lever comprising the members 95-96 is operated asabove described, the switch 91 will also be operated to break the electric circuit and cut off the operation of the solenoid, the parts of the controller mechanism now being inactive.

The operation of the controller 97 also raises the resetting rod 102 that, through its connection with the bar 103, causes the latter to be lowered so that the block 104 is in the path of movement of the resetting pin 105. As the shaft 43 is rotated the pin 105 makes contact with the block 104, thus lifting the bar 103 and through the re etting rod 102 I the mechanism is operated reversely to the operation above described and is thus reset for a repetition of the operation.

After the platform 66 has been lowered, by the weight of a receptacle thereon, below the surface of the table 30, in order that such receptacle may be readily moved from the platform onto the upper surface of the table, the platform is promptly lifted, this by action of a platform lifting cam 113, shown in dotted outlines in Figure 3, bearing against a roller on a platform lifting lever 114 pivotally supported at one end on the shaft 13 and connected at" its opposite end by a platform lifting rod 115 with one arm 116 of a bell crank lever, the other arm 117 of which lever overlies the weight beam 75 and which is adapted to make contact with said beam pressing one end downwardly and the other end upwardly to raise the platform, and as shown in Figure 1 of the drawings, the parts just described being disengaged from the platform operating mechanism in the position of the parts of the machines, as shown in Figures 3 and 4.

Belt supporting tables 118 project from opposite edges of the table and underlie the upper portions of the belts 2324, and as illustrated in Figure 1 of the drawings, said tables being supported by legs 119. Guides 120 are adjustably supported by means of links 121 above the belts 2324 in position to guide the receptacles in their movements caused by said belts and to retain them upon the belts.

A resetting bar seat 124 is located underneath the resetting bar 103 in position for said bar to rest upon when not in operation, a cushion 125 being placed upon said seat to receive said bar and relieve the shock caused by its fall.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes I have described the principles of operation of my invention, together with the device which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof; but I desire to have it understood that the device shown is only illustrative, and that the invention may be carried out by other means and applied to uses other than those above set out,

I claim- 1. A fillingmachine including a material supply chute, a receptacle supply member and a receptacle delivery member located adjacent to said material supply member, means for moving said receptacle supply member for delivery of r'eceptaeles to said material supply chute each to be filled therefrom, and separate means acting independently of said moving means for moving filled receptacles onto said delivery member.

2. A filling machine including a filling member, a supply member and a dellvery member located adjacent to said filling member and both traveling in the same direction, means for moving said supply and delivery members, means for moving supplied receptacles in one direction underneath said filling member, and means for moving filled receptacles in another direction to said delivery member and in the same direction as that of movement of said delivery member.

3. A receptacle filling machine including a filling member, a supply member and a delivery member located side by side ad acent to said filling member and both traveling n the same direction, means'for moving sal supply and delivery members, means for moving supplied receptacles underneath said filling member, means for moving filled receptacles away from said filling member and in the same direction as that of movementof said delivery member, one of said movements of the receptacles being in the direction of travel of one of said supply or delivery mem bers. V

4. A receptacle filling machine including a filling member, supply and delivery members located adjacent to said filling member and both traveling in the same direction, means for moving receptacles from the sup ply member to a position underneath said filling member, and means for moving filled receptacles onto said delivery member in the same direction as that of movement thereof.

5. A receptacle filling machine including a filling member, supply and delivery members located side by side adjacent to said filling member and both traveling in the same direction, means for, moving receptacles in one direction from the supply member to a position underneath said filling member, and means for moving filled receptacles in another direction to said delivery member in the same direction as that of movement thereof.

6. A receptacle filling machine including a filling member, a supply and a delivery member located side by side adjacent to said filling member and both traveling in the same direction, means for movin receptacles laterally from said supply mem er to a position underneath said filling member, and means. for moving filled receptacles in the direction of movement of said delivery member on to said delivery member.

7. A receptacle filling machine including two belts laterally overlapping one another at their ends, means for moving receptacles laterally of one of said members to a filling position, means for moving the receptacles from said filling position longitudinally of and in the same general direction as that of movement of the other of said members, and means for filling the receptacles during transfer from one to the other of said members.

8. A receptacle filling machine including a supply belt and a delivery belt, means for moving said belts, a pusher, means for reciprocating said pusher laterally to the direction of movement of one of said belts, another pusher, means for moving said last mentioned pusher in the direction of movement of one of said belts, said pushers moving said receptacles relatively to a fillin member, and the filling member to fill said receptacles in transit from one of said belts to the other of said belts.

9. A filling machine including a main driving shaft, filling mechanism connected directly with said driving shaft, a connecting shaft driven from said driving shaft, carton supply and delivery belts connected to be driven by said connecting shaft, an intermittently operated driving shaft directly connected with said connecting shaft, and a plurality of pushers connected to be operated by said intermittently operated driving shaft and operating independentl to move cartons from the supply belt to the lling mechanism and from the latter to the delivery belt.

10. A receptacle filling machine including two belts extending in opposite directions and overlapping each other at their opposite ends, means for driving said belts in the same direction, means for moving said receptacles laterally from one of said belts to a filling position in line with the lengthwise dimension of the other of said belts, means for filling said receptacles, and

means for moving said receptacles from said filling position onto the other belt in the direction of movement thereof.

11. A filling machine including a main driving shaft, filling mechanism connected with said driving shaft, a connecting shaft driven from said driving shaft, carton supply and delivery mechanism operated by stud connecting shaft, a clutch driving'shaft connected directly with said connectin shaft and including a section to be intermittently driven, a clutch connecting the sections of the shaft, meansconnected with said fillin mechanism and operated by flow of materia for operating said clutch, means connected with said intermittently operated shaft section for presenting unfilled cartons to the filling mechanism, and other means for removin filled cartons therefrom.

12. filling machine including .a filling member, continuously driven'supply and delivery members located adjacent to said filling member, intermittently actuated means for moving rece tacles in one direction from the sup ly mem er to a position underneath said filling member, and separate and intermittentl actuated means for moving filled r'eceptac es in another direction on to said delivery member.

13. A receptacle filling machine includin filling mechanism, continuously actuate supp y and delivery members located adjacent to said filling mechanism, means having a reciprocating movement in one direction for moving empty receptacles from the supply member to the filling-mechanism, means having a movement in a direction transverse to the direction of movement of the means for moving the empty receptacles for removing filled rece tacles from the filling mechanism to the elivery member, an intermittently actuated shaft connected to operate both of said carton moving means, and means for operating said intermittently actuated shaft.

14. A receptacle filling machine including a filling member, filling mechanism, carton supply and delivery members located ad'acent to said filling mechanism, means moving empty receptacles from the supply member to the filling mechanism, means for moving filled receptacles from said filling mechanism to said delivery member, said carton moving means being arranged to operate alternately, a shaft connected to both of said carton moving members, and means for intermittently actuating said'shaft.

15. A receptacle filling machine including fillin mechanism, supply and delivery members located adjacent to said filling mechanism, means for moving receptacles in one direction from the supply member to the filling mechanism, meansfor moving filled receptacles and in a transverse direction to the direction of movement of the means for moving the receptacles from the supply member from the filling mechanism, a shaft for driving said carton moving means, said shaft including two sections connected by a one revolution clutch, and means connected with the filling mechanism for actuating said clutch,

16. A receptacle filling machine including filling mechanism, supply and delivery members located adjacent to said filling mechanism, means for moving receptacles from the supply member to the filling mechanism, means for removing the filled cartons from said fillin mechanism to said delivery member, a sha t for operating said carton moving members, said shaft including a clutch, clutch actuating means operatively connected with said filling mechanism, and a connection between said shaft and said clutch actuating means for resetting the latter.

17. A filling machine including a driving shaft, filling mechanism connected directly with said driving shaft, a connecting shaft driven from said driving shaft, carton feed belts both connected directly with said connecting shaft, an intermittently clutch operated driving shaft connected with said connecting shaft, carton transferring members operated from said intermittently operated driving shaft, a clutch for operating said clutch driving shaft, and a connection with the filling mechanism for the sole operation of said clutch.

18. A receptacle filling machine including a fillin mechanism with means for intermittent y operatin it, a filling member connected with said ling mechanism, movably mounted means for receiving cartons to be filled, intermittently operated mechanism for supplying cartons to said means, an intermittently operated device for moving car tons away from said means, a connection between said movably mounted means and said intermittently operated filling means for operation of the latter, and a connection between the movably mounted filling means and said supply mechanism and said carton moving device for operation of the latter.

19. A receptacle filling machine including two belts movable substantially in the same direction, means for moving said belts, a filling station located in a fixed position in the path of movement of receptacles from one to the other of said belts, means for moving the receptacles in succession with reference to said filling station and longitudinally of one of said belts, and means for moving receptacles in succession with reference to said said Its.

REX W. MOINTYVRE. 

